In a world where screens, constant Slack messages, and overflowing email inboxes surround us, our productivity often suffers from the weight of digital distractions. Fortunately, there are steps we can take to enhance our ability to concentrate. One such approach, known as "monk mode," which has racked up over 74M views on TikTok, draws inspiration from the disciplined lifestyle of monks who dedicate themselves to deep reflection, meditation, and study. In today's fast-paced world, "monk mode" has been adapted as a strategy to help regain focus and mental clarity amid constant interruptions and grants permission to focus solely on the chosen task with undivided attention.

We've seen trends like "everything showers," "bed rotting," and "bare minimum Mondays" gain social media attention. Now, Gen Z has a new trend called "silent walking" where they go for a walk without phones or distractions. Podcaster Mady Maio claims to have started it, and it's gaining popularity on TikTok with over 803K views. Some praise it for the clarity it provides, while others find it surprising that this is seen as revolutionary by the younger generation.

Our behavior is influenced by those we spend time with. A recent series of studies explored whether we could intentionally harness this human tendency to enhance our self-improvement efforts. The results suggest that borrowing self-improvement tips from people we know is more effective than randomly reading advice. This technique, now dubbed the “copy-paste" method, indicates that we can progress more rapidly by identifying individuals who have achieved what we aspire to and emulating their tactics rather than simply absorbing influences through social interaction.